Harold Robbins

(aka Francis Kane, Harold Rubin)novelistBorn: 5/21/1916Birthplace: New York City

An orphan who never discovered the identity of his parents, Robbins was a prolific though critically under-appreciated author. All told, his books sold more than 50 million copies; they involved complex plots focused on the jet set and their financial and sexual hijinks. His titles include Never Love a Stranger (1948), The Carpetbaggers (1961), The Betsy (1971), and Dreams Die First (1977). Before turning to writing, Robbins had worked for Universal Pictures (1940–57), beginning as a clerk and rising to executive director of budgets and planning.